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In 1991, U2 shocked the pop-music world with ACHTUNG BABY, a striking departure from the Irish band's beloved '80s arena-rock sound. Here the group careens into sonically adventurous territory, reveling in distorted guitars, drum loops, and layers of synthesizers.
The stunning opening track, "Zoo Station," kicks in with fierce, fuzzed-out guitar and a clanging industrial beat, Bono's distinctive voice the only tell-tale sign that this is indeed a U2 album. From here, ACHTUNG BABY deftly maneuvers between giddy electro-pop (the shimmering "Even Better Than the Real Thing," the funky "Mysterious Ways"), bold techno-tinged rock (the majestic punch of "Until the End of the World," the seductive squall of "The Fly"), and contemplative ballads (the heartbreakingly beautiful "One," the haunting closer "Love Is Blindness"). Throughout it all, the quartet plays to the peak of its abilities, aided by the atmospheric, top-notch production of Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno. This is the record where Bono, for better or worse, fully embraced the role of "rock star," with the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen, Jr. ably accompanying him every swaggering step of the way. One of the group's finest outings, ACHTUNG BABY is indisputably U2's most adventurous album.
Recorded at Hansa Ton Studios, Berlin, Germany; Dog Town, S.T.S. and Windmill Lane Studios, Dublin, Ireland.
Personnel: The Edge (vocals, guitar, keyboards, background vocals); Bono (vocals, guitar); Daniel Lanois (guitar, percussion); Adam Clayton (electric guitar, bass guitar); Duchess Nell Catchpole (violin, viola); Brian Eno (keyboards); Larry Mullen, Jr. (drums, percussion).
Audio Mixers: Steve Lillywhite; Daniel Lanois ; The Edge; Flood; Shannon Strong; Robbie Adams; Brian Eno.
Recording information: Dog Town, Dublin, Ireland; Hansa Ton Studios, Berlin, Germany; S.T.S., Dublin, Ireland; STS Studios, Dublin, Ireland; Windmill Lane Recording Studio, Dublin, Ireland.
Illustrator: Charlie Whisker.
Photographer: Anton Corbijn.
U2: Bono (vocals, guitar); The Edge (guitar, keyboards, background vocals); Adam Clayton (bass); Larry Mullen (drums).
Additional personnel: Daniel Lanois (guitar); Brian Eno (keyboards).
Rolling Stone (p.75) - Ranked #2 in Rolling Stone's '10 Best Reissues Of 2011' -- "[O]ne of rock's great acts of rebirth." Rolling Stone (12/11/03, p.113) - Ranked #62 in Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" - "...The album has lots of uncertainty, irony and distortion. It also has one of the most beautiful songs U2 ever recorded: 'One'..." Rolling Stone (5/13/99, p.50) - Included in Rolling Stone's "Essential Recordings of the '90s." Rolling Stone (1/9/92, p.50) - 4.5 Stars - Outstanding - "...the band is able to grow confidently and consistently on its own native strengths...few bands can marshal such sublime power..." Spin (p.76) - "From ACHTUNG BABY on, panoramic ballads sat side by side with mini-rebellions..." Spin (9/99, p.128) - Ranked #19 in Spin Magazine's "90 Greatest Albums of the '90s" Entertainment Weekly (p.75) - "[E]ssential to understanding the most inscrutable stadium-filling band in history." -- Grade: A Entertainment Weekly (11/29/91) - "..refreshingly personal - deeper and denser than any of the band's previous releases..." - Rating: A Q (10/01, p.96) - Ranked #9 in Q's "Best 50 Albums of Q's Lifetime" Q (12/99, p.70) - Included in Q Magazine's "90 Best Albums of the 1990s" Q (12/91) - 5 Stars - Classic - "...U2's heaviest album to date. And best..." - One of Q Magazine's 50 best albums of 1991. Magnet (p.60) - "[A] sexy, sleek and cynical synthesis of playful falsettos, Euro-trash dance grooves, grinding guitar tones...and a hopeless/heartbroken worldview ripped from the chest of Leonard Cohen." CMJ (1/6/03, p.16) - Included in CMJ's list of "Top 25 College Radio Albums of All Time" Musician (12/91) - "...ACHTUNG, BABY is dense, tough and endlessly surprising...a great accomplishment..." Jazziz (Dec.-Jan./92, p.94) - Picked by critic John Dilberto as one of the 10 best albums of 1992. New York Times (Publisher) (1/1/92) - "..Dense, self-serious and overly ambitious: all the things this band is rightfully famous for.." Record Collector (magazine) (p.103) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "To call ACHTUNG BABY a pivotal release is an understatement....Carbed up on a diet of Bowie, Reed and (at a stretch) Talking Heads, Bono and chums opted for a more arty, corrosive battle plan..."
Great album, one of U2's best! No need to say 'The Fly' represents their best rock-star moment, also great songs and classics like "One",the industrial-sounding magnificent intro "Zoo Station", and the beautifully moving "Love Is Blindness". Submitted by srrauldcmarvel (Mexico City, Mexico) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 1 found this helpful.
the best 'We have to go away and dream it all up again', declared Bono on stage. The Joshua Tree had put U2 at the table of musics best bands and turned them into an international phenomenon, and rightly so. Rattle and Hum followed, with U2 discovering and being influenced by American style music, BB King and all.
But the big opinion was that U2 had peaked too early, it wont get better than this. Others were saying that this band was too serious and couldnt enjoy themselves.
U2's response? 'Im ready, ready for the laughing gas.' U2 were back, and intended to stay around for a while yet. Recorded in Germany, this was U2's time to emerge once again as the best band around, and they passed with flying colours. From that opening line in Zoo Station, the new U2 was born. Zoo Station, Mysterious Ways, Even Better Than The Real Thing, Until the End of the World, introduced a new sound, a new sound stamped down with the majestic 'The Fly' where we are introduced to the infamous Bono shades.
But the stripped down sound of U2 still remains in this album. None more so than in the bands best ever song 'One'. Funerals, Weddings- that song will make a few appearances.
Every song in this album is sheer class, each member at the top of their game, proving their point. My favorite album ever, if you buy one U2 album make sure its this one. Submitted by Dermott (Derry, Ireland) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 1 found this helpful.
andrea77 are you crazy?? maybe is the BEST album, ...of the best group in the world. one, the fly, until.., ultra violet. Vertigo and Pop album is only cash, only commercial, but achtung baby is GREAT. lissen in silence Submitted by cosmos (italy, europe) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo 1 of 1 found this helpful.
ACHTUNG BABY! At the begining of the 90's,U2 could have played it safe and did The Joshua Tree II. Instead they made a statment. U2 was not going to grow stale and die off like most 80's rock bands! They were willing to take big chances, and this album paied off! Songs like Zoo Station and The Fly showed that The Edge is more than your average guitar hero. It showed he is a guitar master! The song ONE is in my opinon,one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded. Also, all the profits from the single of ONE was donated to AIDS research ( anyone else remember that?? ). For any music fan, this is a MUST HAVE in your collection. Submitted by Go_pug_go (Chico,CA,USA) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Agree This was truley the end of the 80's U2. Submitted by Bob (Buffalo ny) Was This Review Helpful? YesNo
Great album, one of U2's best!
Agree
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